I play differently almost every time I play. :)
However, I do set up my neighborhoods because I control all of the neighborhood households not just one family or one Sim.
I also set up businesses owned by Sims in the neighborhood. I rarely play downtown and or in business hood of OFB anymore. After twenty years it's just much easier for me to build a bigger world in the main hood and place all my community and Sim owned businesses in it.
I also have furniture stores, shopping malls, theaters, restaurants and curious shops that sell weird things in the game and or just decor etc. Most of these are owned by the Sims of different households I play. I make my Sims go shop for what they need including groceries or even a car. I build hospitals, doctor's offices and spas and gyms. My Sims have to go to one of these if not deathly sick to get well by filling comfort and drinking juice and doing other things like sleeping in a hospital bed while on a community lot (mod). If other Sims get sick while my sick Sim is at the 'hospital' then so be it. :D
I make clubs that may cater to chess, or science or whatever. Some parks are of particular things like a community pool that also sells coffee, juice and food and some handy t-shirts. So do some of my bars.
Someone in the household has to go shopping at some point to buy all the clothes the family or household will need. Especially, before one grows up. Sims have to go shop for presents, too, and may wish to give it to other Sims. There are no free clothes in my games most of the time, unless it's to start them out with a particular outfit that fits their character and story.
One of the great things about TS2 is you can build multi type community lots to cover a large lot with just about everything your Sim will need and not all Sims will be in the restaurant nor in the clothing shop or playing pool or whatever. It's great for urban areas that are close knit buildings with back alleys.
That's just the basis of how I set up my hoods, and there a lot of Sim owned stores and businesses.
If I play a rags to riches story, or just a wilderness story I may build community centers for Sims to use and never have a fridge, or a toilet and or shower and bed on a vacant lot but they have to go to the community center or shelter to take care of their needs. It gets interesting when toddlers and kids also live on a totally vacant lot, especially with weather. >:)
